Subculture

Marketing Communication Mix

Pickton and Broderick (2001) cite Kotler et al. in defining IMC as "the concept under which a company carefully integrates and co-ordinates its many communications channels to deliver a clear, consistent and compelling message about the organization and its products" (p.16) Consumers all over the world became more demanding and accurate in their choice. It has sharpened the competition between the companies, making the latter fight severely for their existing and potential customers. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to identify significant problems that might be an obstacle in communicating with young people from Europe to be able to work out successful marketing campaigns.

The growing importance of European youth market is caused by several reasons:

* Teenagers' tastes and preferences are different from those of their older generations;

* Young people's values have been seriously transformed since the past decade;

* Economic situation in the major European countries favors average income increase of the family, which impacts the income of a teen aged child;

* Youngsters become more and more independent as they pursue the goal of getting a part-time job to provide additional needs for themselves. Thus, it increases their personal purchasing power;

* Youth's perception of the world is different from their previous generations. Therefore, particular communication tools are needed to appeal to their feelings and tastes.

Regarding all the reasons stated above, it is necessary to distinguish two sets of factors that might influence marketing programs for young people across Europe these includes objective factors and subjective ones. As for the first group, it comprises size of a family, income level, and social status to some extent. They are called objective, cause they are usually hard to influence, and are quite clear set. As for the second group, it is much broader. It consists of cultural factors, internal values, beliefs and life-styles. All those factors are going to be discussed more thoroughly in the subsequent paragraphs.

In order to understand the process of marketing communication, it is reasonable to apply Schramm model of communication. (Schramm W. (1954)

This is a circular model, which helps to explain how our potential customers get the information a firm transmits to them. Taking the example of European youth market, the model will take the following format:

Message a firm is trying to send: products or services we produce are worth buying; they can substantially increase the level of your satisfaction.

Encoder: mass-media (Mass-media is the best means of reaching the customers, as it embraces the largest audience and matches different levels of customers' availability).

Interpreter: friends, relatives, reference groups, opinions and declarations of famous or well-respected people in the media, social norms and beliefs that somehow explain or predispose our attitude or perception towards the message. For example, if the commercial states that soda can be healthy, the member of a reference group, specifically family doctor, will deny the statement, thus influencing targeted audience to interpret the message differently.

Decoder: TV, periodicals, radio etc. Those are specific means that bring the information, message and decode it for us. In order for the process of communication to be efficient, it is necessary for marketing specialist to think thoroughly on the each link of this circular chain.

Before discussing communication mix programs for youth market in Europe, it is necessary to identify the components of these programs in order to be able to analyze each of them separately. Thus, a communication program is comprised of four main elements: advertising, sales promotion, personal selling and public relations (PR) (Cateora, 1990). These all components are usually used in a complex way, which gives a chance to talk about integrated marketing communication mix. All elements of the mix have their own characteristics and specifications. Therefore, they have a different impact on the consumer. This is why it is so important to evaluate the possible outcome from using specific types of communication programs. Several alternatives should always be thought over.

According to many researches and articles (mentioned in the reference list) young people become very sensitive, meaning that they deeply feel any failure and are very much afraid to make a mistake. Moreover, they become more individualistic and aspire to be distinguished among others, to show bright personality rather than conform to set standards. Such interesting conclusions make marketers think thoroughly how to offer certain information to youngsters, appealing to their deepest senses. For example, considering the desire to be not like others, to be peculiar, it is reasonable to emphasize, "free choice, flexibility, and individual approach" in the commercials or advertising slogans of clothes stores.

As for failure concerns of young people, it is the best to address to them an issue of fearlessness to be themselves, to react to any situations the way they want to, regardless any judgments. Those are just the examples of possible solutions inculcated in marketing communication programs aimed for young people across Europe.

However, the problem is very deep to bid solely on the internal values that are changing. The reasons stated below are analyzed from various articles on young people's attitudes and the relevant case study for the assignment.

The difficulties that might arise in the process of communication with young people concern the following issues:

* The group of products referred to as FMCG (fast moving consumer goods). It is caused by the fact that tastes and preferences of young people are very different. Therefore, it is rather hard to find a universal approach that would appeal to tastes and values of the majority of young people. For example, today snickers is extremely popular chocolate bar. However, it is quite hard to predict what young people would prefer tomorrow, may be not chocolate but crispies. It will mean that market specialists need to find out what caused these changes in preferences and work out totally new communication program.

* Leisure services. As a rule, young people don't quite understand